Page 193 - Advanced English Grammar in Use

D e g r e e a d v e r b s : v e r y , t o o , e x t r e m e l y , q u i t e , e t c .

Degree adverbs can be used before adjectives, verbs, or other adverbs to give information about
the extent or degree of something. Compare:
• They're happy. and • They're extremely happy.
• I hate travelling by plane. and • I really hate travelling by plane.
• He's always late. and • He's almost always late.
Other degree adverbs include completely, fairly, quite, rather, slightly, too, totally, very (much).

Very and too
Before an adjective or another adverb we use very when we mean 'to a high degree', and too
when we mean 'more than enough' or 'more than is wanted or needed'. Compare:
• The weather was very hot in Majorca. Perfect for swimming, {not ...too hot...) and
• It's too hot to stay in this room - let's find somewhere cooler, (not ...very hot...)
However, in informal spoken English, particularly in negative sentences, we can sometimes use
'too' to mean roughly the same as 'very':
• I'm not too/very bothered about who wins.
• It's not too/very warm today, is it?

Very and very much
We don't use very before verbs, but we can use very much before some verbs to emphasise how
we feel about things:
• I very much agree with the decision, (not ...very agree...)
• We (very) much enjoyed having you stay with us. (not ...very enjoyed...)
^Verbs like this include agree, doubt, fear, hope, like, want; and also admire, appreciate, enjoy,
*and regret. We can use very much or much (but not very) before the last four verbs.
We can use very but not (very) much before participle adjectives (see Unit 85):
• She was very disturbed to hear the news, (not She was very much disturbed...)
• It's very disappointing, (not It's very much disappointing.)
However, we use (very) much but not very before a past participle which is part of a passive:
• The new by-pass was (very) much needed.

Extremely, very, etc.; absolutely, completely, etc.
We usually use extremely, very, etc. with gradable adjectives and absolutely, completely, etc.
with ungradable adjectives (see Unit 83). Here are more adverbs like these and adjectives which
commonly follow them:

+ gradable adjective + ungradable adjective
extremely...effective, difficult, hard absolutely...clear, necessary, sure, true
dreadfully...angry, disappointed, sorry simply...awful, enormous, terrible
hugely...entertaining, enjoyable, successful utterly...exhausted, unbearable, unrecognisable

Quite
Quite has two meanings: to a particular degree, but not 'very' (= 'fairly'); and to a large degree,
or 'very much' (= 'completely'). Compare:
• I was quite satisfied with the result. (= 'fairly') and
• No, you're quite wrongl (= 'completely')
When quite is used with ungradable adjectives it means 'completely':
• 'Ted isn't coming until tomorrow.' 'Are you quite certain}'

Gradable and ungradable adjectives = Position of adverbs;